THE HIGH S P E C I A L E D I T I O N | M AY 1 7 , 2 0 1 7
STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS 2017
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THE CANDIDATES PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
Jacob Foster Rashid Baxter Sophia Scokalo Frerik Smit Amara Sarao Achilleas Martinis Hadley Trahan Apoorv Singh Zofia Choinska
TREASURER
McKenna Quam Timothy Li Luca Adams Maddie Johns
SECRETARY
Emma Longford
SPORTS OFFICER
Poppy Harrison Roee Tenne
EVENTS & COMMS MS PRESIDENT MS VICE PRESIDENT
MS EVENTS & COMMS
Alexandra Ceban Sophie-Marie Pasewald Grace Banasik Anusha Mittal Salim Meier Marc Ribas Hernando Pavithra Venkatsridhar
This special edition of The High was edited by Edward Fraser and Rafael Ribas.
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PRESIDENT
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t’s around this time of year when we all find ourselves dreading school. I’m certain we can agree that the repetitive schedule of waking up, going to school, coming home, eating dinner, doing homework, only to do this all over again becomes rather awful. Not to mention sleep deprivation... My main goal, as a candidate to be your President, is to bring school spirit back into ISL! Yes, not having enough soap, tissues, or water fountains can be annoying. But, what’s even worse is coming into school every morning feeling like this is the last place we’d like to be. These few years we have left in high school are flying by! Taking a moment to stop and enjoy the friends and company around us is what truly matters. My plan as President is to have pep rallies at school every month during
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am Rashid Baxter, and I am running for Student Council President. I am by far the youngest person running, coming in at a mere 15 years of age. Despite my youthfulness, I am experienced with Student Council, assuming the role of Middle School President last year. In this position I helped run the show behind the scenes for Wacky Week and the Middle School Discos. I know that I am up against a group of towering and highly-intimidating Year 12s, and I know my chances of winning are incredibly slim, but I have to try. I’ve never given up on anything before (sort of), and I’m sure as hell not going to give up on anything now. I know the people in Year 12 may seem like a far more attractive vote right now. You may be thinking “Why should I vote for this child? Look at what a lanky gormless dunce he is. He’s far too young,” but think again. This child has what it takes! I may not be in the Diploma (or anywhere near it, for that matter), and I may not have run around the school
Jacob Foster assemblies. Let’s go and support our friends at football games, having barbecues, waving flags, and singing chants while we do it. In addition, I believe creating a platform of communication between the students and their Student Council is crucial. ANY needs or wants given by the student body immediately becomes my priority. A Student Council President has two main responsibilities: to represent and push forward the interests of the student body and to bring fun into everyday school life. This is where we need change.
amazing 2018 school year. We have one shot at high school; let’s make the most of it. Vote Jacob Foster for President. Any requests, ideas, or questions just email me at jfoster@islstudent.ch
Art exhibitions, plays, concerts, sports games... We are given an amazing opportunity to make this school fun! Which is exactly why I decided to run to be your president. I will make it my number one priority to ensure that each member of this school has an
Rashid Baxter and made people hold up silly signs. But, I have what it takes to be your High School President. I know I may be younger than some sorry - all of the other candidates, but I’m not only going to be communicating with people of my age. I will make sure that every student in every year of every age gets their opinions represented. I will help bring forth your voice - yes, YOURS! Any suggestions you have on improvements for our school will be heard and worked with. And I mean things of greater importance than whether or not the soap dispensers are filled. Bigger things than that. I don’t know about girls, but most boys only rinse their hands anyway. The key is to focus on what really matters to us. I love ISL, but it’s definitely far from perfect. Student Council is one of the things I would put at the top of my Favourite Things About School list. It has allowed us as students to have an impact on our school. And whether you’re in middle school or high school, your voices are what help move the school forward.
Thank you for reading what I have to say. When it comes to ticking boxes, mine’s the one beside Rashid Baxter. I won’t let you down. Sincerely, Rashid Baxter, Presidential Candidate. P.S. Thanks to the people who have supported me so far in my quest for presidency. You’re all the best.
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PRESIDENT
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guess this is where I should give you a 450-word pitch about “how great I am and why you should vote for me.” But, this is not about me and the list of school activities that I am involved in, or how many people I know. What this is really about, is all of you and the changes you want to see for an even better ISL. It’s about who you think will best represent the values you hold and the values of the school. Who you believe will voice your ideas for changes or concerns and translate those to action. I arrived at ISL in Year 11, and went on to survive one of the hardest years of my life. I hit many bumps in the road and fell down many potholes that I didn’t see coming. I can confidently say that although the whole shazam was terrifying, it taught me so much about resilience, strength, and how to manage a lot at any given moment. ISL provided me with support throughout, and
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am a progressive democrat from the great blue state of California. A democrat, ashamed of who currently sits in the White House, and ashamed of who currently has majority in the house and senate. This frustration I feel has inspired me to bring change in my community that is ISL. ISL thrives in providing world-class education, but unfortunately, falls behind in other aspects of a school such as policies and non-academic services. Varying simply from ridiculous tech-free zones to the outrageously conservative and non-transparent drug and alcohol policy, these are all issues that we face, that must be changed, and that can be changed. California is the state with the biggest economy in the United States and the sixth largest economy in the world. It is no coincidence that this is a fact and that California is one of the most liberal and culturally accepting places in the world, which in 2016, voted to legalize marijuana.
Sophia Scokalo without it, I wouldn’t have the confidence to be running for President. This, in turn, has made me passionate about giving back to our community, to make it a better place for students to thrive. This passion and care, coupled with the ability to make things happen are why I am running to be your President. I can’t fully mention ‘change’ without giving you some examples, that would be a little dubious. Whilst I was talking to students about the improvements they wanted, one of the first overwhelming responses was the lack of soap in the south campus. This is one of the more simpler items on the list that can be tackled, but nevertheless important. Another frequent response I received was regarding school spirit. Many of the old-timer ISL students thought that with the expansion, some of the school spirit got a little lost in the new building. To this, I think we could find an easy fix. We could adver-
tise home games to further stimulate you guys to come watch, or we could even introduce the idea of doing more events with your sports day teams. Maybe they don’t even have to be related to sports? Maybe a music competition? Who knows, but I want to hear your ideas. And if you vote for me, I can make them happen. So if you vote for me, be confident that I will listen, care, and be passionate about the change that you want to see. See you all at the assembly, and look out for the small girl in dorky glasses and white pants.
Frerik Smit It took me aback when Mr. Foley in an assembly said that if what had occurred in the middle school this year would have occurred in the high school, students would have been expelled. This is undoubtedly a conservative approach on drugs that resembles in some ways the war on drugs in the United States, which was a miserable catastrophe that ruined so many lives. I agree with Mr. Foley’s statement: that ISL must remain drug and alcohol free. But I so highly disagree with making ISL drug and alcohol free by expelling students who have broken the rules, or even suspending them for long periods of time. I believe that everything at ISL should follow the school’s mission and aims, because it is something to truly strive for. But this policy does not follow the school’s mission and aims. It does not “fulfill the unique potential of each student” and does not create a “supportive learning environment.” And that is why above all reasons it must be changed,
not only because it is morally and proven to be wrong, but also because it does not follow what ISL stands for. No matter how small or big the issue is, if it is wrong, we must change it. If it is wrong, we must stand up for ourselves and fight back. But real change starts with unity. Real change starts with action, and there is nothing more powerful than unified action. There is nothing more powerful than a unified student body that stands up for itself. And so we must stand up for ourselves, because enough is enough, because this is our school, and we deserve what is best for us. Real change starts with a vote, a vote for Frerik Smit.
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PRESIDENT
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chat with Amara Sarao: Then and Now. After many years abroad, hopping from school to school, I returned to ISL in Year 6. That makes ISL the school I identify with, the one where I have spent most of my teens. So as I continue through my campaign for Student Council President, I figure this is as good a time as any to answer all those questions my Y6 self would have. So here it goes… Young Amara (YA) / Amara (A) A: Hey, you seem lost. Can I help you? YA: Hi! I’m new here, could you tell me where the bathrooms are? A: Sure! Follow me. YA: Thanks. I’m Amara by the way. What’s your name? A: A lot has changed in 6 years kiddo, but I’m still Amara. YA: You’re funny. A: Only sometimes. So, how do you like ISL so far?
YA: It seems nice, but it’s scary being the new kid. I feel kinda’ alone. A: I know the feeling! But don’t worry about it. The students are so warm and welcoming. I made some of my best friends here! YA: I hope it’ll be the same for me. Is this building new? It seems quite different to the one where my classes are. A: Yes, indeed. With the recent expansion, the IB students got this shiny new building. With that came a massive influx of new kids. My year got about 35 new kids in these last two years. YA: Oh gosh! That’s a lot! Making friends is going to be harder now! A: It sounds scarier than it is. The expansion has brought some great changes, but I feel it is harder for the new kids to integrate now. It’s been tough on the old kids too, having such a rush of new kids – people have put up their guards. One thing I really loved here was the homely atmosphere. But listen kid; if I become President, I’m
MS PRESIDENT
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y name is Sophie-Marie, I am 11 years old. I am in 7 PW. I have a little sister called Louisa, who is in Year 5. I have 2 pet rabbits called Sissi and Franzi. This is my third year at ISL. I am really enjoying my time spent with students, teachers and all the great people. The Middle School President has an important role to improve our school life. The MS President represents the students’ voices, passing on suggestions and improvements to the principals and staff members. In addition, I believe the MS President should be a person who is very approachable to every student. I have had different experiences at school which I can bring to the position of the MS president. I am currently 7 PW’s homeroom leader, and my homeroom teachers, Mr Parry and Ms Williams have told me many times that I am like their third homeroom teacher. In addition, I am happy and I enjoy contributing to classes, the school commu-
nity and to the society. Furthermore, I am always happy and excited to commit my time to make our school a better place and to improve it. 3 important suggestions to improve our school life. If I become the MS President, I would like to keep the Q&A program, which happens twice a year, the same. During the first session, the homeroom leaders and students discuss and suggest what could be added into school. For example, microwaves in the cafeteria and new water fountains. The homeroom leaders then have a meeting with Mr Harrison and Mr Foley to put forward our suggestions. The second Q&A is still in process, Mr Harrison, Mr Foley, and another member of staff have asked students 3 questions to answer. The Q&A program is a great process to improve our school life and to help communicate improvements and suggestions between students and teachers. Together we can achieve more and your vote is my voice for a better
Amara Sarao gonna do all I can to bring that back! YA: Wow, you’re running for President? That’s cool; I would totally vote for you! Oops…there’s no soap! A: Another reason to vote for Amara! In the meantime, here, use some of my hand sanitizer. YA: You’re a lifesaver! But, do you really think you can bring back that same homely atmosphere? A: Totally! I would organize community events to bring us all closer. Has your buddy told you about Wacky Week? It’s when everyone dresses up in crazy outfits the whole week; but, the spirit of Wacky Week has declined in the last few years, and I want to work on rebuilding it! YA: That’s so exciting! You seem like the perfect candidate for President. Maybe we can share a Coke sometime? A: Sure. I’ll share a Coke, if you share a vote! YA: Deal! #ShareAVoteWithAmara
Sophie-Marie Pasewald school life. If I become MS President, I would improve the safety on the campus. I would like to change the disqualification rules created by the Student Council for some games during Wacky Week, for example the water games. Second I would like to revise the playground and its toys for safety. If I become MS President, I am happy to organise our 3 cool school events, which shall be fun and unforgettable. I would organise better food, which is more tasty and healthy in our cafeteria and in the vending machines. I think that people should vote for me because I want to improve our school life. Firstly, I will represent the student’s interests and suggestions to the school principals. Secondly, I will organise a high standard of events for us all to enjoy together. Thirdly, I will improve the relationship between students and teachers. I believe that together we can achieve more for a better school life!
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VICE PRESIDENT
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will try to keep this short. You read a lot of big words around this time of the year and most of them are not very useful. In political campaigns, candidates have many chances to talk to people over long time periods. Unfortunately, in our elections, candidates have few chances and very little time to talk to students. To overcome this barrier, I will come around and talk to as many of you as possible this week so that you get to know me as a person. I want you to vote for me because you trust me personally, not because of my big words or promises. The Vice President is what the holder makes of the role. As VP you can do a lot or very little. I have a complete plan and know how to make it happen. First, I will organize new events and raise more funds for charity. Second, I will start a program for accomplished guest speakers who inspire and stimulate us. Third, I will bring younger and older students closer together, through larger and smaller initiatives which strengthen our sense of community.
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i, my name is Hadley Trahan and I’m running for Vice President! So why vote for me? I think above all, my love for ISL is what would make me both a committed and enthusiastic member of the Student Council! Having been at ISL since Year 1, it truly feels like home to me. Although I may not be as cute as I was when I arrived, my enthusiasm and love for the school hasn’t changed since my first day at ISL as a 6-year-old. I think the thing that struck me years ago, and still continues to amaze me, is the family feel that ISL possesses. Not only is it a place to go to school, but a place to call home. I feel so lucky to have been a part of the ISL community for the majority of my life, and I want to ensure that we maintain the family qualities. It’s what made me love our school in Year 1, and it still continues to be why I love it so much now. The rela-
Achilleas Martinis I am probably the only candidate with experience from the Student Council and a summer job. As the Vice President I will use my experience and collaborative approach to help the newly elected President turn their good ideas into actions. I will start the collaboration already before the elections: I will talk to each candidate for President this week and lay the ground for working together without losing time after the elections. If a candidate for President is not open for collaboration, I will call them out. I know well from my Student Council and work experience that no results can be achieved without strong teamwork. I will be a Vice President for all the students. We know that older years are closer to the Student Council because members are usually from those years. I will stay close to the younger students and always ensure they see the Student Council as theirs. Younger students will get their needs and ideas heard in the Student Council just as much as the older students. A Student Council can only be as good
as the engagement of the students it represents. I am asking you not just to vote for me and your other chosen candidates but also to stay involved throughout the whole year. Only together, we can make next year the best that the students of ISL ever had! This is the only way that we know what you want to improve in the school. I will make sure that I talk to you to transfer your ideas to the Student Council.
Hadley Trahan tionship between the students and the teachers is truly special and unique. Everyone wants the best for one another and having the opportunity to grow up in such a welcoming and encouraging environment has been amazing. As the school continues to grow and develop, I feel that our main priority should be to maintain this family feel. Sports are a huge part of my life, and I feel that the most important lesson that sports have taught me is the value of teamwork. I firmly believe that as a team, we can achieve so much more than as an individual. I’m used to fighting for things on the track, volleyball court and ski slopes. Yet, I am now ready to join the Student Council in the fight to make ISL the best it possibly can be. I love this school and I am 110% committed to everything I do. I would love
to focus that effort into giving back to a school that has given so much to me. Vote Hadley Trahan for Vice President and you won’t be disappointed!!
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VICE PRESIDENT
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ice President is often a word that most people can identify with but few can truly understand the meaning of. What real powers does a Vice President hold, what changes can they make, and the most prominent question of all, do they even matter? The answer is yes. Yes, Vice Presidents do hold real power, for they are the hands behind the scenes that keep all the cogs in the machine that is theStudent Council well oiled. Yes, they have an enormous impact on not only the functionality and hence success of the executive team, but also play a large supporting role for the President. I have personally had experiences in student councils before, and while this doesn’t make me any more capable than any of the other candidates, it should indicate that I have experience. While experience doesn’t always matter, it can often be a crucial deciding factor that
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y name is Zofia Choinska and I am currently in year 9. I have decided to run and hopefully take the role of Vice President since I am very passionate about positively changing ISL and the life of students in secondary school. A successful Vice President is someone who is committed, hard-working, a critical thinker and can show good leadership skills in order to make decisions that benefit the students along with the rest of the Student Council. I believe that I have acquired these skills through my past experiences. I have been accomplished in debating competitions with other schools from Central-Eastern Europe, and recently within schools in Switzerland. These experiences have helped me gain confidence as well as analytical thinking skills in order to achieve a goal and I will use these abilities in order to help the students have a better life at ISL. In a previous school, I have been a part of the Student Council as a historian(journalist) and students were very posi-
Apoorv Singh adjudges the success and failure of certain events, and is thus always a valuable asset. While I haven’t been at this school for the longest of times, there are certain things that have pleasantly surprised me, as well as caused me to identify weaknesses. School spirit and atmosphere is terrific thanks to you, the students, and this is represented in the massive turnouts and support that can be seen at each and every event. Yet, there is still a lack of communication between the students and the Executive team, and this is a gap I will be looking to bridge, along with the newly elected President, as well as the rest of the Council. To end, all of the candidates running for this position have an equal claim to the potential position of Vice President, and the only thing that can make you vote for me, is if you really believe in me, like I do in you. Let’s bridge the gap together.
Zofia Choinska tively surprised with the changes I have been a part of making; I plan to be as committed and determined here. Even though I am a young candidate for Vice President, I think I would be able to bring an even perspective to the solutions of issues for both middle and high school students. Since, I am almost finishing middle school and next year will be experiencing the life of a high school student, I will be well aware of both the middle school and high school students issues. I think that students should be able to get even more involved in the changes made in the school and I am definitely willing to make this happen. I will make sure to listen to the students about issues like homework policies, the cafeteria, the infrastructure of the school and any other concerns. With all that said, I think you should vote for me because I am ready to be a committed and hard-working voice for the students that listens to their problems and acts upon any promises made. I have a
great passion to change the school and make it a better place, and I hope you will support me in this election for us to make the change together.
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TREASURER McKenna Quam
Timothy Li
remember in 4th Grade at my Minnesota school being so excited about Student Council elections. I was finally able to run and I wanted to get my ideas heard. However, the only thing I cared about was keeping strawberry milk in the cafeteria. After I got elected I was informed that the only power the Council had was planning hat day. I never ran for re-election and promptly went into retirement, but I always thought that there was an opportunity for Student Council to make a positive impact on the school.
he school is a wonderful and diverse place but is in no means perfect; however, there are some who feel they can make a change. These aforementioned people are the Student Council. These people believe that in order to satisfy the students of ISL, the students of ISL should have a say and have a chance to make real change happen. I am one of those people who believe in the primary philosophy of the Student Council. This election, I would like to step into their ranks as Treasurer.
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Flash forward four years and I am now a student at ISL and admiring the shiny new fountains. After asking a few questions I was impressed to discover that the change was led by the Student Council who identified several benefits associated with new fountains. This change has reduced water waste and provides cleaner water to students. This impact is a lot more significant than planning “wacky” hat day. The function of a student council is to represent the desires of the student body. ISL has a Student Council that has demonstrated a history of positive change and I would be honored to continue their mission. This is why I have decided to come out of retirement and to run for Treasurer. Thanks for your consideration, I would be honored to have your vote.
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My dictionary defines a treasurer as a person managing the financial needs of an organization. What the role of the Treasurer of the Student Council is to manage the finances and expenditures of the Student Council. The Treasurer’s primary objective is to ensure that the budget of the Student Council is spent the best way possible and without having the budget be overspent. Even though finance is a fickle thing to handle, I believe I should be the one to manage such finances. Why choose me? I am running for this position because I like maths and I am at least competent (I’m rather good if my unbroken streak of 8s in maths says anything) and I think finance management needs someone who won’t make random mistakes or won’t enjoy doing it. A Treasurer should be a competent calculator and should also understand his role. In conclusion, I would be wasting my time if I did not ask you to vote for me, reader, so I do hope I do convince you to vote for me, as I am well and truly passionate about this position and I believe that with this position I can achieve good in the school. Thank you for your time and patience.
Luca Adams
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Transparency hope to make all the Student Council’s money-spending decisions clear, open and transparent so that everything we do is clearly understood, by every member of the student body. Transparency is a fundamental principle of good financial management. Accountability I hope to ensure full accountability of the Student Council for all decisions made and I promise to be fully accountable for any money decisions that I take. Service I hope to show that I am worthy of your trust, in what is an incredibly important position on the Student Council. This position is about serving the students, carrying out your wishes to the fullest potential. Measures I hope to introduce: • Regular surveys of your opinions, both of what has been done and of what you would like to see done. • Full reporting of all our financial decisions. At a minimum, to provide regular reporting on spending decisions that are made. • Performance indicators that I can be measured against so that you can evaluate my service to you.
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TREASURER
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ello, my name is Maddie Johns and I am running for Student Council Treasurer. You might be asking yourself, what exactly is it that a treasurer does and what are they responsible for? The simple answer: money. The Treasurer is the trustee of the Student Council’s accounts and is in charge of managing the budget. The task seems simple on the outside but I believe that to be a successful treasurer one must be incredibly organized, a methodical thinker, and most importantly have the capability of handling sums of money and budgets. Lucky for you, I possess all of these qualities. I am, and have always been, a very organized and detail-oriented person, a clear type A personality. I’m neat, have great time management skills, and am an extremely hard worker. On top of that, I have the ability to think critically and make decisions that will be beneficial to the budget and in turn, better for the school. Finally, for my entire life I
have loved math and have consistently done well in math at school (I am currently in the highest math class in Y11). All of this time I have spent dealing with numbers makes me incredibly able to work with large sums and maintain budgets very well. As you can see, the qualities I possess enable me to not only be the Student Council Treasurer, but to do an above and beyond job at it. If elected Treasurer, I will ensure that we as students are able to have the best year with what is available. I will manage money and resources so that we can get the most out of it. Instead of being restricted by budget, I will work to use the money we have in our favor. If I am Treasurer, I will do my best to make school events, competitions, and activities the best they can possibly be with the resources we have available. So, why vote for me? Well on top of the obvious reasons, my organized and detail-oriented mindset and ability to
SECRETARY
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hen you hear the word secretary, more often than not you’d think of a boring grey office setting where someone answers calls all day. However, if I were elected as your Student Council Secretary, there would be none of that. I believe that in order to be a good Secretary, one must be organized, must be able to accurately take notes throughout all meetings, work well with the rest of the members of the committee, bring objectivity to all meetings, contribute positively to the group dynamic, and be methodical, with a good eye for detail. With that being said, I believe that if I were elected as your Student Council Secretary, I would put 100% into everything that I did. I would make sure that I attended all meetings, supported all decisions made within the group, and take note of everything we do. I would contribute not only my ideas, but YOUR ideas. As Student Council Secretary, I would make sure that YOUR voices were heard in our meetings and I
would make sure that the student body was happy with the decisions we made. As Secretary, I would also communicate effectively to all homeroom reps to make sure that they were taking information and ideas from their own homerooms to our meetings, so that everybody’s ideas were being heard. If I were part of the Student Council, I would make sure that the student body’s voices were our top priority. As Student Council Secretary, and a student at ISL for 5 years, I understand the constant need for diverse programs and activities within the school. With such an immense international population at our school, there’s no doubt that everyone has different interests and talents. I have personally been a part of a wide range of programs ranging from debate, to the football, swim, and netball teams, to creative writing, Duke of Edinburgh’s award, and so much more. As Student Council Secretary I would help to expand ISL’s already wide range of afterschool activities so
Maddie Johns work with and manage large sums of money, I say why not? I will stay organized and reliable, always coming to meetings and inputting my thoughts and opinions. I will work hard, doing my best to find solutions to any problem that arises. I will bring a new voice to the Student Council, one that is ready to bring the most to the ISL students with what we have! Vote Maddie for Treasurer, it just makes cents!
Emma Longford that there would be ASA’s appealing to every single student. ASA’s are essential to provide our students with fun and interactive learning spaces outside of the classroom where students can meet other people who share common interests. Overall, I think that you should elect me as your Student Council Secretary because my main focus is the student body, representing you, and communicating your ideas.
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SPORTS OFFICER
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y name is Poppy Harrison. I have been at ISL since Reception 3 and I love this school. I love the way it has student input. I love the way it helps others through service. And most of all, I love the way it integrates sport to offer each student the best possible collaboration between learning and exercise. I am not going to claim that this school is perfect, because, honestly, I don’t believe there is such a thing. Perfect is a term that is viewed differently from one person to another, the way a dribbling technique will change from one player to another. My goal is only to intensify the positive things in this school and help to change the negative for the better. I will increase the number of sporting events throughout the school year and decrease marginalization of sports. I also believe in recognition. If I am elected, I will ensure that every sporting event is recognized in the Homeroom Notices.
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f you could add one sports activity, ASA, or sports tournament what would it be? My name is Roee Tenne, I’m an Israeli student who has studied in ISL since Year 7 and now I’m in Year 11. I believe it’s time for me to go into the Student Council executive team. I stand for hard work, determination, organization, creativity, and leadership. I believe that I could and will bring that to our school and Student Council. I’m capable of helping wherever the student body needs me. I know many of you have great sports ideas which are never heard and, I promise that I will listen to each one and will try my best to make them possible. I believe that our school is a successful school both academically and sports-wise, but I believe it is still lacking some positive school spirit and sporting atmosphere. I believe it is essential to bring the students together no matter which year you may be in. I believe that increasing school tournaments in various sports in school is essential for strengthening that bond and making us stronger as a
Poppy Harrison After all the effort a team or an individual puts in, they deserve to be known for their achievement, however great or small. Additionally, I believe in sport as a source of inspiration and I will include a weekly inspirational sporting story from around the world in the Notices. I believe that I am the right person for this position as I know this school inside-out. I have been able to study the best aspects of a sports officer, the characteristics that makes one successful and I intend to adopt processes and events that have previously worked. My sporting history also builds my character, making me passionate, cooperative, communicative, confident, focused, determined, and competitive. These qualities will help me hear your voice and help relay it to the Student Council so we can discuss it and try to make a difference. Like in a football match, if the team has a prob-
lem, only the captain can address the referee – I would like to be your captain and talk to the person who ultimately gets to enforce the rules and make a difference. The competitive aspect is a trait that anyone who knows me is aware of. This means I will fight to win, whether that is in any match, or to get your voice heard, or to get a new rule in place, I will not back down. I have a broad understanding about sport in ISL. As a member of the ISL football, netball, gymnastics, ski, cross country, and athletics teams and a former member of the uni-hockey and volleyball teams I am aware of both the struggle to find a balance and the importance sport can have in a school life. I am conscious of the bonds these sports can help form with peers and the memories the tough tournaments can form. I would like to make more of these bonds and with your vote, I can.
Roee Tenne team and as a school. I’m a sportsman myself, I have been playing sports since I was a baby. I play football in the M-16 of Lausanne Sport and the Israeli national football team. I also enjoy playing basketball, baseball, and American football. Sports is a part of my life and I will not be able to live without it. My main goal is to increase the sports activity in the school and promote new ideas and activities which can make the student daily life much better and different from the usual. My secondary goal is to try and make you come to school looking forward to a certain activity or tournament. But mostly to try and involve the majority, if not all, of the students in these activities. Before all, sports is good for our physical and mental health, it gives us positive energy and releases us from the stress of school. Furthermore, I will want to increase general awareness of how successful we are around Switzerland and Europe. Even though the school shows certain sports accomplishments in the notic-
es, I still believe there are many sports which aren’t promoted as much. It’s a passion of mine to help the school and the students. I’m balanced and I will be able to manage everything correctly but most importantly I am a team player, I will cooperate and work well with the other Student Council candidates. I have played football for a long time so I know when its others turn to make the goal and when it’s my turn to score. In addition, with the thought of sports in my mind I can become a very creative person thinking outside the box in order to create and develop basic ideas into reality. I believe that this will challenge me; I like challenges but I like to overcome them even more. I believe that with a challenge I can make the best of myself and give the best of myself to the school and you, the student. Thank you for reading and don’t forget: vote Roee for Sports Officer.
11
EVENTS & COMMUNICATIONS
H
ey guys, My name is Alexandra, some of you know me as Alex, and I am running for the Events and Communications Officer in the Student Council. As I am new this year, most of you don’t know me too well, so I would like to give you a brief summary of what is important to me: communicating with people. As I play football on three different teams, it is obvious that I need to be communicating at all times. Communication isn’t only important in a team sport, it is crucial in our everyday lives. I’m glad that ISL provides us with so many interesting opportunities and events that are enjoyed by students, which is why I decided to contribute and create even more. Since I am new this year, I have different perspectives and ideas. As our current wise Student Council President Habib once said, “The greatest changes come from people who are able to look at things from a different perspective.” I have that perspective.
Alexandra Ceban One thing I want to bring to ISL in my position of Events and Communications is more school spirit! Our current Student Council has done an amazing job at creating events where students could interact, nevertheless, we need more! School spirit is so important, whether it goes towards raising money, or attending sports games, it makes school more enjoyable. The Student Council is meant to give students their voice, which is why as your Events and Communications Officer I will give you that opportunity to have a say in what events should be created. I will introduce new events such as a 24-hour challenge, charity weeks and activity days, and it will all be in the hands of the students if it goes through or not. Social interactions are very important to me, and creating and arranging events where students can communicate and interact would be ideal for me. In general, I love spending time with people and would much rather do something that involves other peo-
ple than staying somewhere alone, so I promise that I will bring more events to the school, and will raise the school spirit. You should vote for me as I am passionate about communicating with people, I am organized, responsible, and committed. Ask my teachers if you don’t believe me. Vote for me and you’ll get events for free!
MS EVENTS & COMMUNICATIONS
M
y name is Marc Ribas Hernando. A lot of you may know me. This year, I have taken all of my courage and I am going for a place in Student Council, Events and Communications to be precise. The reason that I am going for this position is because I have seen and been part of many discos and music events, and I always think this could be better. Yes Sophia has done well this year, but there is always better and I want to be able to make each disco (and maybe new ones...) as best as possible by listening to your ideas. I like to listen to people and I really like to take part in events and music shows, so when I heard I could combine these two things in one to help this school, I knew I would fit right in. From now on it is not Student Council’s choice, it is yours too. With that I leave you with my request, let’s leave a mark(c) on this school.
I Marc Ribas Hernando
Pavithra Venkatsridhar
am Pavi in 7AS and I am running for MS Events & Communications Officer. The role of an Events & Communications Officer is to organize events and communicate plans and ideas to everyone. They have to be responsible and committed to the job. I have already been part of the Student Council (in Year 4 in my previous school & in Y7 at ISL), so I have some experience and knowledge about how the Student Council works and what I am expected to do. An Events & Communications Officer needs to manage all the key points of a meeting too. I would like to keep the way events happen, but get more ideas from homerooms about how they want to have their events. I can guarantee I will maintain the high standards of the current MS Events & Communication Officer. I will collaborate with others and always remain open-minded. I am always willing to talk to people and I am excited to continue my campaign!
12
MS VICE PRESIDENT
I
am Grace Banasik and I am running for Middle School VP. I am 12 years old and I am currently in 7AS. I hope that I can obtain the role of Vice President because I am very passionate about helping ISL and its middle school. I think that I can change the school in the best way possible. I think that a good Vice President is intended to be a leader, is positive, committed, confident, a good participant, hardworking, and passionate about helping people in need. They need to be willing to give some of their time away to go to meetings. A Vice President also needs to be good at making group decisions with the other mem-
T
he role of the Middle School Vice President is more important than what students think. The Vice President has roles that are more behind the scenes job. It also requires interacting with other students and some teachers. It also requires time and commitment. I have had previous experience with being in the Student Council and being Vice Captain of my house in St.Georges; I have been a constant part of the school community. It is not only in St.Georges but I am involved in the Student Council – I may not be a part of it but I have helped and subbed in for my homeroom. I think I will able to understand problems that occur between students because I myself have many activities and homework can get a little tough but it’s totally understandable. School is about learning from mistakes, and I feel like can make that easier for all of
Grace Banasik bers of the Student Council. I believe that I have exceeded all of these skills and am ready to take part in the Student Council family. Even though I am a very young candidate for VP, I think that I can take on that role. I am the right person to chose for Vice President because I can improve the school and I am committed to helping people. If I am chosen for Vice President, I will fulfill my responsibility. If you want all of those things to be possible, then support me so we can make the change happen together. Vote Grace for Middle School Vice President.
Anusha Mittal you. I don’t just want to be your Vice President, I also want to be your friend so I can always have your back. As far as I know, the Student Council is a very organised and well-led team. As for me I think there is no need to change the ways of the Student Council although there could be some adjustments, but I am not scared to speak up for students who may think it is wrong or try my best to make the school the best that it can be for everyone. The reason I want to run for the Vice President is because I want to help make this a better place for all of you. Why vote for me? Well, think I will take this job seriously and with responsibility not for fame. I don’t mind if I lose as long as I know that this school is in right hands and that it will make, you, the students happy. Remember: choose wisely because your decision will affect you. Vote Anusha as your next Middle School Vice President!
Salim Meier Salim is also running for the position of Middle School Vice President. At the time of going to press, we had not received his candidate article.